1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to relatively small pools useful for hydrotherapy. More particularly, it relates to such pools which may be used to partially or totally immerse a woman so as to assist in the process of labor and giving birth.
2. Prior Art
In recent years, as women have sought to have more natural and comfortable childbirth experiences, a variety of new techniques have come into relatively common use. Many women, at the suggestion of healthcare providers, or on their own initiative, have elected to have labor occur while immersed in a comfortable environment of warm water. This has many beneficial effects for the mother, including relaxing the patient, easing discomfort and reducing anxiety. Further, immersion produces buoyancy which creates a hydrodynamic lift effect, thus counteracting the effect of gravity. Since the body has an apparent weigh of only a small fraction of its weight on land, muscular tension is reduced. It is believed that this decrease in tension may also cause an increase in oxytocin and endorphins, thus creating a euphoric effect. Finally the presence of the water reduces the strain on perineal muscles and increases elasticity.
A major difficulty associated with such hydrotherapy pools is that a healthcare provider or the patient may need to enter and exit the pool repeatedly. As with any environment in which water is present, this may cause slippery conditions that can result in a fall and a consequent injury. This situation is aggravated by the pregnant condition of the patient, which may make it even more hazardous. Thus, there is a great need for a pool with convenient and safe access for the patient and the healthcare professional.
Another problem associated with hydrotherapy pools is that in many installations, large areas of hospital or birthing center floor space must be dedicated to the hydrotherapy pool. Further, the installation of appropriate plumbing connections may be complex and costly. Finally, for hygienic reasons, maintenance costs in terms of labor and materials may be high to insure that pathogens are kept under control and not transmitted from one patient to the next.
It is an object of the invention to provide a pool which may be used for hydrotherapy and which provides easy and safe access for the patient and the healthcare provider.
It is another object of the invention to provide a pool which does not require expensive installation procedures.
It is yet another object of the invention to provide a pool which is easy to clean and to maintain in an hygienic condition.
It is a further object of the invention to provide a hydrotherapy pool which is of sufficient size so that it allows the patient to assume and maintain positions which may not be possible in a full gravity environment, but not so large as to take up an excessive amount of floor space.
The invention is directed to a hydrotherapy pool comprising an enclosure for receiving a patient and for holding a quantity of liquid sufficient for immersing the patient so that the patient receives hydrotherapy, the enclosure having a plurality of openings for facilitating entry and exit from the enclosure; a removable door for each opening; a water tight seal for each door for sealing the door to the enclosure so that water does not leak from the enclosure; and a filling and draining system for filling and draining the enclosure of water.
The pool is generally of rectangular shape, and includes a seating area at a first end of the pool. The pool may have three doors, the doors being disposed with respect to the patient when seated in the seating area facing the patient, to the right of the patient, and to the left of the patient. Each door may comprise a panel having a shape corresponding to the openings; a seal disposed about the periphery of the panel; at least one locking mechanism for urging the seal into contact with a portion of the enclosure associated with the opening so that the seal is trapped between the door and the portion in a water tight manner. The locking mechanism may comprise a rotationally mounted shaft extending from a surface of the door external to the pool when the door is in place in the opening; and a circular member mounted eccentrically on the shaft, the circulat member being configured to permit gripping the member for rotation thereof, the circular member being sized, shaped and positioned so that when in a first rotational position the member engages the portion of the enclosure, and when in a second rotational position the member does not engage the portion of the enclosure. A surface of the circular member which comes into contact with the portion of the enclosure has a sloping surface, so that as the circular member is rotated from the second position to the first position, compressive force on the seal is increased.
The pool may further comprise an integral seat at a first end of the pool, the seat being shaped and positioned so that when the pool is drained, the seat drains so that water does pool on the seat. The pool may comprise a first seat at a first end of the pool, the seat having a v shaped depression therein to allow access to the perineal region of a patient sitting on the seat. The seat may be integrally formed with the enclosure. The pool may also comprise a second seat disposed at an end of the pool opposite to the first seat. The second seat may be defined by a ledge formed in the enclosure.
Also in accordance with the invention, in order to make the pool portable, the pool may include a number of wheels affixed to the enclosure so that the pool may be rolled from one location to another on the wheels. The wheels may be coupled to mountings each having a spring so that the wheels extend past a lower surface of the enclosure when the pool is empty, and the springs are compressed so that the wheels do not extend below the lower surface when the pool is not empty. The springs have characteristics so that the wheels do not extend past the lower surface if a sufficient quantity of water is in the pool.
Also in accordance with the invention, the filling and draining system includes conduits for connection to a source of hot water and to a source of cold water, and a mixing valve to mix the hot water and the cold water to produce water to be fed to the enclosure. The system includes conduits for connection to a source of hot water and to a source of cold water, the conduits having at their ends quick disconnect fittings for receiving hoses which have mating connectors to connect to the fittings in a water tight manner, and to rapidly disconnect from the fittings. The mixing valve controls temperature of water supplied to the enclosure to be in the range of 92 to 105 degrees Fahrenheit. The system further includes conduits for connection to a drain to dispose of water in the enclosure. A pump may be provided for assisting in draining water from the enclosure.